Park E. Salter

PARK E. SALTER. The name Salter has had a very vital and intimate relationship with Butler County for forty years, particularly with the development of its livestock interests and also, in later years, with the oil and gas industry.

The founder of the family in Butler County was the late Thomas B. Salter, a figure of unusual prominence in that section of the state. He was born in Centerville, Iowa, in 1849 and came to Kansas in 1876. In Butler County he took a claim of 160 acres, and after improving that he continued increasing his holdings until before his death his ownership extended to twelve hundred acres. This was used principally as a stock ranch, and many carloads of cattle, hogs and horses went from that ranch to the markets. In 1910 Thomas B. Salter retired and moved to Wichita, in which city he resided until his death on August 23, 1912.

Thomas B. Salter married Louisa Banks, of Centerville, Iowa, and she is still living. Their four children were: Frank, deceased; Margaret, wife of Edward Rash, of Wellington, Kansas; Park E.; and Norah, who married Walter J. Hays, of Wellington

Park E. Salter, a son of the pioneer, is widely known over the state not only as proprietor of Park Place Stock Farm, the home of thoroughbred cattle, hogs and horses, but also for his active work in promoting the discovery and development of the oil and gas resources in his section.

He was born in Butler County July 14, 1877, about a year after his parents located there. He graduated from the Augusta High School, and afterwards took special courses in Salina Normal and the State Agricultural College. For a number of years he was closely associated with his father in the stock business and in 1910 went with his father to Wichita and set up an office in the real estate, loan and insurance business. He was one of the very successful men in that line until June, 1916, when he sold out his business and has since devoted his entire time to his stock farm and his oil interests.

The late Thomas B. Salter was for many years convinced that oil could be found in Butler County and took an active part in sinking the first well. His son, Park Salter, has since carried out to a large degree the plans of his father and has justified his faith. He owns oil leases on 10,000 acres of land lying in the center of the oil region, including Butler County. He and E. A. Haines wrote the first oil lease west of Walnut River. Mr. Salter also has interests in several producing oil wells. These wells are near his stock farm, which occupy a central position in the field, and the drills are now at work sinking wells for oil and there are also gas wells on the farm joining that furnishes fuel for the engines in the drill houses.

For a number of years Park Place Stock Farm has been noted for its thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle. At the head of the herd is Rosewood Dale, son of the celebrated Shorthorn Avondale, for which Mr. Salter paid $2,000. He also has at the head of his herd two imported bulls, imported Bopton Corporal and Newton Friar. Other stock are thoroughbred Poland China hogs and registered Percheron horses. Mr. Salter bought about 800 acres of his father's farm from the other heirs and has since added 200 acres more, so that Park Place now comprises about 1,000 acres.

October 21, 1903, Mr. Salter married Miss Grace Brown, of Andover, Kansas. Her three children are Alma, Gladys and Thomas B.

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